Improving ESP Teacher Professional Development for Online Pedagogy in Algerian Higher Education

Abstract

This doctoral research investigates how the professional development of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers can be improved for online pedagogy in Algerian higher education. The study is grounded in the recognition that the shift to online teaching, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, exposed important gaps in ESP teachers’ preparedness to teach effectively in digital environments. Adopting a mixed-methods action research design, the study was conducted with eight ESP teachers and unfolded through three main phases: a needs analysis phase, a training phase, and a post-training evaluation phase. Four research instruments were used: a needs analysis questionnaire, observation grids, the online training intervention, and a post-training feedback questionnaire. The findings reveal that the intervention contributed to improving teachers’ digital competence, lesson organization, online interaction practices, and student engagement strategies. The study also shows that effective professional development for online ESP teaching requires more than technical training; it must integrate pedagogical support, reflective practice, and sustained collaboration among teachers. On this basis, the thesis advocates the integration of the TPACK model, the promotion of communities of practice, and the establishment of continuous institutional support systems. The study contributes both to ongoing educational reform in Algeria and to the broader discussion of ESP teacher development in digitally mediated contexts.